Key-playter



(No Model.)

M. E. MOG'LOSKEY-PLAYTER.

CORSET STEEL.

No. 601.734. Patented Apr. 5, 1898.

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m: Nonms Pneus co. Now-umn. WASHINGTON. DA c.

UNITED STATES' v PATEMT4 Grrrcn.

MARY ELLENMccLosKEY-PLAYTER, or New YORK, N. Y.

CORSET-STEEL.`Y

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 601,734, dated April 5, 1898.

- I Application filed J' anuary 9, 1897, Serial No; 618,531. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known thatI, MARY ELLEN McCLos- KEY-PLAYTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful.

Improvements in Corsets; .and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this speoication, in which` Figure lis a front View, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional view, of certain parts which enter into the structure of my invention.

Figs.` 3 and 4 are front views ofthe essential parts of a corset made according to my invention. Fig. 5 is a detail view further illustrating my said invention.

\ This invention comprises certain novel combinations of parts whereby corset-steels constructed to flex or yield to the movements of the wearer are enabled to do so without wrinkling, stretching, or otherwise impairing in any way the fabric or textile covering of the steels.

In the drawings, A and B are the two parallel steels of a corset placed. in the usual relation with each other at the opposing edges of the usual opening at the front of the corset. This relation of the steels to each other is illustrated in Fig. 1. Each of these steels is composed of two elastic strips or springs a b, placed one upon the other in such a manner as to permit of their sliding movement with reference to each other when the steel is bent-as, for example, by a forward or bending movement of the wearer of the corset. At one end of each steel one of its springs is slotted, as at a', and at the opposite lend of the steel the other of the springs is similarly slotted, as at b. The spring-for example a, which at one end has the slot has fast upon its opposite end a cap c, into which extends the slotted end of the other spring, and

extended through the slot of this latter and fast to the cap is a pin d, the slot permitting the requisite movement of the one spring upon the other incident to the exure of the steel. Upon the opposite end of theY other spring b is a similar cap e, into which extends the slotted end of the spring a, witha pin f', fast to said cap and extended through the slot a' o f said spring a, the slots of the springs permitting the free longitudinal play of the `one y'spring with regard to the other in the flexure of the steel. By this construction the flexibility of the steel as a whole is secured consistent with strength and lightness and non-liability to fracture at points where, when in use, the steel is subjected tothe most sudden or acutebending.

The devices for fastening together the two opposite edges of the front opening of the corset are provided on the outermost springs of the two steels. Thus upon the spring a of the steel A are provided metallic loops or eyes j", which extend. from and beyond the edge of the steel in a plane like that of the latter and which catch over metallic studs or buttons g, provided upon the spring aof the steel B, as represented in Fig. l. i These buttons project at substantially a right angle to the plane of the steel B. v The eyes f being in a row coincident with the row of buttons g, the hooking or catching of the former over or upon the latter connects and holds the two steels in the requisite close and parallel or substantially parallel position with regard to eachother requisite in the use of the corset as an article of apparel. withv a sheath or covering h, of muslin, silk, or any other'suitable fabric or material,which incloses its two springs a and b through any Each of the steels is provided 1 desired portion of their length, but which usually and preferably extend their whole length and yinclose their ends, the eyes f of the one steel and the buttons g of the other being extended through longitudinal slots or oblong openings c, provided in the sheath h, inclosing the steel.- In the steel A these oblong openings c are formed at the edge of the spring to which the eyes f are attached and in the steel B at the outer flat side of the spring which has the buttons g. Y

By means of the oblong openings c', provided as described, I avoid the wrinkling, liability of tearing, and tendency to get loose and out of shape which I have found to occur from the'movements of the springs d and b upon each other when the fastening devices of the respective steels pass through simple eyeletholes in their sheaths h h. As the springs a and b slide one upon the, other in the use and operation of the invention the fastening devices move along in the oblong IOO openings c in directions longitudinal with the latter and thus avoid all strain and pull upon the fabric or material of the sheaths, the frequent recurrence of which would pull the latter out of shape and tear and otherwise injure the same and to a Very great extent iinpair the appearance and durability, and consequently the value, of the corset.

Vhat I claim as my invention is l. A corset steel or stiener comprising the springs a and b, each slotted at one end and adapted to slide one upon the other, the caps c and e secured respectively to the springs d and b, and the pins d and f' uniting the two portions of the caps and passing through the slots of the springs. v

2. The combination with a corset-steel coinposed of two springs arranged to slide one upon the other and provided with slots, a' b', and caps, c, and e, and pins, d, and f' uniting the two portions of the caps and passing through the slots of thesprings, one of said springs being provided with a row of fastening devices, of a sheath of fabric or like inaterial inclosing the springs and constructed with longitudinal oblong openings through which pass the fastening devices, whereby the sliding moveln ent of the springs with reference to each other, the caps, and the pins, is permitted without strain or Wear upon the fabric or material of the sheath, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. In a corset, the combination of two steels placed at opposite edges of the front opening of the corset and each composed of two springs, a, and, l), caps, c, and e, and pins, d,

' and f' uniting the two portions of the caps,

of a row of fastening-eyes, f, extended from the edge of one of the steels in alike plane to the latter, and a corresponding row of buttons, g, placed upon the opposite steel and projecting at an angle to the plane thereof, of sheaths, h, h, composed of fabric or like material and provided with elongated openings through which pass, respectively the eyes and the buttons, and which are so proportioned to the size and shape of the said fastening devices as to prevent strain upon the material of the sheaths by or during the bending of the steels, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

MARY ELLEN MCCLOSKEY-ILAYTER.

Vitnesses:

ALBERT E. PLAYTER, HENRY S. READ. 

